The varsity girls golf team had an impressive year finishing the season with a 7-2-1 and eventually going on to win the league championship.  There playoff run was filled with plenty of tense moments.  Including their semifinal match that was decided after three playoff holes.  The girls carried the momentum from their semifinal victory into the championship match and defeated Our Lady of Mercy 4-1.  All of the girls showed tremendous improvement throughout the year and the great play from Sophomores Grace London and Emma Gianquinto in the league individual tournament helped them qualify for the CHSAA State tournament in Buffalo.  Grace finished second and Emma finished fourth at states  

Congratulations to the Varsity Girls Golf Team on a great season.

CONGRATULATIONS 
MVPS  Grace London
Team Scholar-Athlete  Emma Giaquinto

As Grace London stepped onto the 18th tee  of the NSCHSGAA girls golf championship at Eisenhower White Tuesday afternoon, she trailed leader  Catherine Slade of Kellenberg by two strokes.

While the St. Anthony’s sophomore wasn’t perfect on the par-5 final hole, her bogey was enough to tie Slade, who triple-bogeyed, with the players tying at 12-over par 84 to force a sudden death playoff.

They played the 18th once more and London bogeyed again to edge out Slade by one stroke and earn her first individual title.

“Going into the last hole, I was thinking that I needed a birdie to have a chance,” London said. “I didn’t even know that my last putt for bogey was to go to a playoff.”

London bogeyed the first hole of the day but birdied the next two to help her shoot a 4-over 40 on the front nine. Slade trailed right behind her groupmate with a 41.

London had a two-stroke lead after 12 holes, but it didn’t last long. She bogeyed the par-4 13th hole while Slade made birdie to even the score. On the par-3 14th, London double-bogeyed and Slade made par to take a two-stroke lead.

“Grace just doesn’t get rattled,” coach Kathy Calfa said. “She’s a grinder. She’s played at the same club as me for a while and she’s at the range every day.”

Slade gained another stroke on 15 and London knew she needed gain some ground.

“I let it get to me a little bit, but I snapped right out of it,” London said.

London gained a stroke back on 16 before tying Slade on 18.

Along with London and Slade, four other golfers qualified for the CHSAA state tournament on Monday May 23 at Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, New York. Mackenzie McManus (Our Lady of Mercy) and Meaghan Endres (St. John the Baptist), the league’s co-players of the year, respectively finished third with an 86 and fourth with a 92. Bridget LaRosa (Kellenberg) came in fifth with a 99 and Antonia Vitale (OLMA) shot a 101 to place sixth.

By Brian Heyman Newsday

Match play had already ended under the gray sky covering the Blue Course at Eisenhower Park, with St. Anthony’s winning two and Our Lady of Mercy one. Now the foursome featuring the top two players on each side had finished stroke play on the ninth hole.

The scorecards revealed two more victories for St. Anthony’s.

This was a young group of Friars making a bid for the NSCHSAA girls golf team title. Three sophomores and two freshmen were out there playing in the finals. But St. Anthony’s was the team posing happily with the championship plaque, having won, 4-1, on Friday

“I had two girls [Grace London and Emma Giaquinto] that I knew would be good at the beginning of the season and the rest I was, like, really worried about because they were so new to the game,” said Kathy Calfa, the Friars’ first-year coach. “The focus and improvement they showed so quickly was unbelievable.”

St. Anthony’s had gone 7-2-1 during the regular season, including 1-0-1 vs. the Mustangs, who went 4-3-3.  Both teams advanced out of a playoff in the semis. And now the Friars owned first prize.

“It means a lot,” London said. “It’s only the beginning for me because I’m only a sophomore. I just think it’s going to grow from here for both myself and the team.”

London was matched up against the league’s co-player of the year, senior Mackenzie McManus. No. 1 vs. No. 1. London birdied the first hole and the sixth and finished at two-over 38, five strokes better than McManus.

“We’re definitely very happy with how we ended up,” McManus said. “We had a great season. Each one of our players made a lot of progress in their own game.”

Giaquinto, another sophomore, was one stroke better (49-50) than her sophomore counterpart, Antonia Vitale, at No. 2.

In match play, St. Anthony’s won at No. 3 and No. 5. Freshman Nicole Amoruso defeated sophomore Jackie Mestousis, 5-and-4, and freshman Skyler Amplo beat senior Sam Shea, 3-and-2.

Junior Sara Collure was the lone winner for Our Lady of Mercy, emerging with a 3-and-1 decision over sophomore Leah Garvey at No. 4.

“I thought the better team won,” Mustangs coach John Rooney said. “I think we played well. I think they played better.”

Next comes the NSCHSAA individual championship tournament Tuesday, an 18-hole competition at Eisenhower. Calfa likes London’s chances.

“I think Grace is a top player,” Calfa said.

Rooney feels McManus can win. She tied for fifth last year.

“I think she has a great chance,” Rooney said. “She’s been playing tournament golf for a long time.”

GIRLS GOLF - 

INFORMATIONAL MEETING 

Friday, March 4th Rm 114  2:45 PM

Tryout Dates TBD  and will be posted on Friarathletics.org

Google Classroom code bttw2cz 

Head Coach - Kathy Calfa - kcalfa@stanthonyshs.org